d his men for fight, uniting them with those under Purinton, and
for a few minutes a decidedly earnest conflict was waged, when a man by
the name of Wright, Sergeant of Company A, discovering that our
opponents wore the blue uniform, and divining that they must be the
Wisconsin regiment, ran, swinging his hat, over to them, and stopped the
firing,--an act of cool bravery, that saved, without doubt, many lives.
The fight originated from the party of Lieutenant Purinton coming in
contact with the advance of the Wisconsin force, which was in motion
towards the Davis camp. It was in charge of a Sergeant, who was halted
by Purinton, and answered, "Friends."--"Advance," returned
Purinton.--But the Sergeant, believing that he had met an enemy, wheeled
his men and fled, but soon returned with the rest of Harnden's force. As
he wheeled, Purinton's men fired. The Lieutenant, when he halted the
Sergeant, stood out in the road; but the distance between the parties
and the darkness prevented a recognition. And here let it be observed,
in answer to who may complain of Lieutenant-Colonel Pritchard's action
in this matter that, while he could not foresee all the contingencies
that might arise, he certainly took all reasonable precaution to avoid
any accidental conflict between the two commands, both for safety and
the success of the enterprise. His orders to Lieutenant Purinton were,
to be certain of the character of any party he might meet before
firing,--telling him, what was generally understood throughout the
command, that Lieutenant-Colonel Harnden was probably on that
road,--which orders the Lieutenant did his best to carry out.

But however Pritchard's arrangements may be cavilled at, they certainly
secured the capture of Davis. For the Wisconsin force, coming in the
direction it did, could hardly have crossed the body of mud and water
that lay between it and Davis without alarming him, and affording him
time to mount his horse, kept, as we found, ready saddled and bridled
for flight, and to escape into the woods surrounding the camp. But by
Pritchard's movement, Davis was not alarmed in season; and when he
discovered his horse out of his power, he sought to escape by stratagem.
That he had relied upon his horse for safety is evident from the fact
that his arms and money (gold) were on the saddle.

Andrew Bee, a private of Company L, went to the entrance of Davis's
tent, and was met by Mrs. Davis, "bareheaded and barefoot," as h